Anglophobia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anglophobia is a hatred or fear of the English or English culture; its antonym is anglophilia.[1]
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The word Anglophobia originates from the eighteenth century.[2] Thomas Jefferson used the word in a letter to James Madison dated May 13th 1793.[3] He wrote:
The Anglophobia has seized violently on three members of our council.....Anglophobia, secret anti-gallomany, a federalisme outré, and a present ease in his circumstances not usual, have decided the complexion of our dispositions, and our proceedings towards the conspirators against human liberty, and the asserters of it, which is unjustifiable in principle, in interest, and in respect to the wishes of our constituents.
During the period of alliance between Britain and the United States, anglophobia took another form. Fleet Admiral Ernest King had been noted for his anglophobic views which affected his decision making during the "Second happy time" (in the Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945)). [4]
Anglophobia amongst the French likely started with the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, after which a new Norman ruling class treated the people of England with contempt and brutality. The "perfidious Albion" expression is still used by French journalists to mock the Francophobe sentiments of the British tabloids, e.g. the accusation that France cheated to win the World Cup 1998, or the accusation that the French beauty pageant contestant Élodie Gossuin is a transsexual.[5]
A study by Hussain and Millar of the Department of Politics at the University of Glasgow examined the prevalence of Anglophobia in relation to Islamophobia in Scotland. One finding of the report suggested that national ‘phobias’ have common routes independent of the nations they are directed toward. The study states that:
Scottish identity comes close to rivalling low levels of education as an influence towards Anglophobia. Beyond that, having an English friend reduces Anglophobia by about as much as having a Muslim friend reduces Islamophobia. And lack of knowledge about Islam probably indicates a broader rejection of the ‘other’, for it has as much impact on Anglophobia as on Islamophobia. [6]
- ^ dictionary.com definition.
- ^ Allwords.com definition of Anglophobia.
- ^ Excerpts from the Correspondence of Thomas Jefferson.: School of Cooperative Individualism Website.
- ^ Moser, John E. (1999): Twisting the Lion's Tail: American Anglophobia Between the World Wars, New York University Press.
- ^ Guiffan, Jean: Histoire de l'anglophobie en France, de Jeanne d'Arc à la vache folle, Editions Terre de Brumes, 2004.
- ^ [1]